THE manager of a pub in Wivenhoe says she felt emotional as she opened the gates to customers again this morning.

Belinda Marshall, who runs the Black Buoy, in Black Buoy Hill, said customers starting arriving as soon as the pub opened at 12noon.

Bookings are flooding in for food and the pub is anticipating a bumper week in trade.

Belinda said: "We have been very busy so far today.

"We had a few booking but we have also had quite a few walk ins as well.

"It has been going brilliantly so far.

"Everyone seems to know the rules and procedures and are sticking to them."

Staff at the pub have used lockdown to give the pub some much-needed TLC, before reopening the garden on Monday.

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Belinda said it had been a difficult few months for those in the hospitality industry and reopening had been "emotional".

She said: "I have been here for the last six or seven weeks as we have been decorating and a lot of work has been done to the place.

"The last few days I have been so excited and I was really quite emotional this morning."

The Black Buoy will be opening until 9pm each evening.

Food will be service 12noon to 3pm Monday to Thursday and 12noon to 3pm and from 6pm to 9pm Friday to Saturday.

On Sundays grub is available between 12noon and 4pm.

Belinda said: "If we are extremely busy we will think about extending the hours."

"We are expecting a very busy weekend."

Pubs were able to reopen their beer gardens on Monday, with restaurants also allowed to reopen outside spaces too.

Indoor hospitality spaces will be reopening on May 17 if the Government's roadmap out of lockdown moves ahead as planned.